Experiment Fail

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1

So, I decided to test and see how long I could get away without changing my pump site (I have always done 3 days). I got a really great spot the night of Nov. 30, and since my insulin needs were so much lower than normal this week, I had lots left in my reservoir. I’ve heard of some people leaving their sites in for up to 6 days, and I wanted to see what would work for me.

Well, I found out all right.

Yesterday, day 4, was totally fine. Today…not so much. I started rising a bit more in the morning, but not out of control. Maybe 120s. Then rose more during exercise, and was completely craptastic after breakfast. Though, I didn’t realize it because my CGM managed to get 40 points off. Way to be awesome, CGMS. >__>

I stayed around the 150 range during the morning hours of work and changed my site first thing when I went home for lunch.

Spiked really high after lunch, around 220 (ate 31 carbs). I think it was because I was starting high, and my basal in the new site hadn’t kicked in yet.

Now, a couple hours later, I dropping back to normal. Just like magic!

Well, now I know I shouldn’t leave a site in past 4 days. Definitely do not want a repeat of this!

I really loved my site this week though. I was pretty bummed to change it. And it’s not like I even mind changing infusion sets. I fill the reservoir ahead of time, and that’s the only part I find to be annoying. Everything else takes all of a couple seconds and the needle doesn’t hurt. But finding a nice convenient site…that’s tricky!

2

3… I’ve decided the magic number is 3 days. I also put less insulin into the reservoir. If you prefill them, calculate what you use on a daily basis and then fill accordingly. I wasted so much insulin for about 4 years. I’d fill the whole reservoir and then use about 3/4 of it. So, a few years back I FINALLY figured out… just put in less. Now, I end with an average of 20 units left. I also noticed that when I get down below 20 units in the reservoir my blood sugar starts to rise.

3

Yeah this is what I’ve been doing, and I usually only end up wasting a few units if I time it right. But this was my first try going over 3 days! I was taking a freakishly smaller amount of insulin this week, so if I was to try it, then would be as good a time as any. :slight_smile:

I haven’t noticed a problem when I get fewer than 20 left in my reservoir, but I do watch out more for bubbles around that time.

4

I went for years and years changing every 5 or 6 days, and it gave me a lot of scar tissue. Now I change every 2 days and I have to be very careful to rotate sites so I don’t go within a square inch of any site for 30 days.

5

For me it’s 2 days. My control gets out of hand on the 3rd day.